Leeds Rhinos will go into the Dacia World Club Challenge without a host of key players due to injury, but Thurston insisted Cowboys will be ready for whoever they face and he sees Burrow as a particular threat.

“Rob Burrow is very experienced and he’ll get the boys around the park,” Thurston said of the Leeds captain, who could be at half-back or hooker.

“He’s very sharp out of dummy-half or whatever position he plays. He can attack and hurt you. Defensively we need to be strong. Whoever they field will do a good job for them. They are a great club with great players and they’ll come out all guns firing.”

Thurston said Cowboys “won’t be reading too much into way Leeds have started their season”. He added: “They are a quality club and we are not going to take them lightly.

“We’re coming up against a real tough outfit in Leeds who have been at top of this comp’ for many years, so we’re looking forward to the challenge. We’re here to win, that’s for sure. We haven’t experienced it before, so all the boys are looking forward to Sunday. It’d rank right up there with winning the Premiership if we do win. To be the best team in the world has a nice ring to it.”